Water Barrier and Erosion Mitigation System

ABSTRACT

The system utilizes a bag containing hydrophilic dry material such as powered polymer. The bag is initially light in weight. When the hydrophilic material is exposed to water it absorbs water and expands to inflate the bag. By taking on the weight of the absorbed, the bag of the invention can replace the function of a conventional sand bag. Unlike a conventional sand bag, the bag of the invention has provision for causing the bags before and after inflation to interlock which strengthens the resulting protective wall. Part of the interlocking effect is created by the incorporation of ballast modules at least two corners of the bag which interlock with pockets on diagonal corners of adjacent bags. In addition to ballast modules, the bag may contain seed modules or pockets which release seeds to vegetate and hold soil on slopes.

RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is related to and claims the priority benefit ofco-pending U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/350,755, entitled SelfInflating Modularized Interlocking Surface Water Barrier and ErosionMitigation System, filed Jun. 2, 2010 by the present inventors.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

For centuries, sand and rock-filled jute, burlap, coir or poly-propylenebags measuring approximately 12″×26″ and weighing up to 50#'s whenfilled have been used individually and in large numbers to createartificial and typically temporary barriers to divert unwelcome surfacewater (e.g. rain runoff and mud) from entering areas and structurescontaining life, real property and infrastructure that would otherwisebe damaged or destroyed by atypical and unexpected surface water or mudincursion.

The present invention relates generally to products, methods and systemsin which various quantities of ‘modularized’ bags, tubes or flexiblecontainers filled with sand, gravel, rock or other bulk particulate(including man-made bio-degradable matter) are used to prevent theanticipated incursion of surface water or mitigate damage to life andreal property from existing or ongoing unwanted surface water, soil orsilt incursion.

The most common form of existing water diversion barriers have been andare simple sand bags and millions are produced and used each year aroundthe world. Such sandbags are most commonly filled one-at-a-time usingshovels, scoops, buckets or other simple manual devices. Once filledwith sand, gravel or other selected particulate matter, the individualbags are typically closed off with a drawstring, metal or plastic twisttie or other mechanical or chemical based sealing mechanism or by simplyfolding the open end of the bag to keep the filler material containedwithin the bag until the bag is placed among other sandbags to form awall or barrier.

Within the last several decades, a number of manual filling assistdevices have been invented and disclosed. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,687,781;5,802,807 and 5,845,685 are examples of such devices. As with fillingbags or other containers by hand (e.g. with a shovel), the manualfilling assist devices are very slow and typically inefficient.

In flood emergencies (as opposed to erosion control and mitigation), theneed to construct a multi-layer wall or barrier constructed using manysandbags deployed quickly poses huge problems to those residents orproperty owners and other persons responsible for real property. Withoutlarge numbers of workers (often volunteers), and thousands uponthousands of sandbags, as well as substantial supplies of readilyavailable sand, gravel or rock, the flood waters cannot be held back ordiverted.

Over the years, the problem of filling large quantities of sandbagsquickly has led to the invention and disclosure of semi-automateddevices capable of filling multiple bags simultaneously and filling themutilizing gravity rather than shovels. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,044,921;4,184,522; 5,873,396; 5,806,576 and 5,893,260 are such examples.

While typically faster than all-manual solutions, the semi-automatedsystems are still unable to produce the quantity of filled bags requiredin a true flood emergency.

As filler devices, methods and systems evolved, so too did therealization that the output or throughput from such bagging devices andsystems was directly dependant on the constant and increasingavailability and supply of filler materials (sand, gravel, etc) itselfas well as empty bags or other filler containment vessels.

Beginning with U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,771,605; 6,863,094B1 and 6,978,812,fully automated mechanical bag filling devices have been disclosed.These devices are capable of automatically filling and sealing off up to40,000 bags per day (operating around the clock) with a one or moreperson crew.

At a high filling (production) rate of 40,000 bags per 24 hour period,approximately 800 tons (1,600,000 pounds) of filler (sand, gravel, etc)material is needed at the production site(s) together with the 40,000empty bags and tie-off or bag sealing components. Providing suchlogistics can be problematic, especially on short notice.

Of equal or even greater challenge is the task of physically moving andindividually placing each traditional sized 35-50 LB. bag. It isexhausting and backbreaking work and currently results in considerableworker fatigue, injury incidents and damage claims.

A number of Applications have been filed that deal only with the sandbagitself. These include US202/0081153 A-1; US 2003/0017288 A-1; and US2007/0099327 A-1.

The present invention overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art, byfocusing on the bag design and engineering itself (modular &interlocking), the filler materials, as well as the deployment and useprocesses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a unique integration of both naturaland man-made, non-toxic, bio & photo-degradable materials engineered andmanufactured in modules within a single or multi-layered, uniquely sized& shaped containment bag, tube, envelope or mat (as used herein the termbag should be understood encompassing a bag, tube, envelope or mat)containing highly water absorbent dry (typically cross linked) polymersor compressed all-natural materials and/or nano particles whichcollectively and functionally hydrate and expand(when directly exposedto water) creating a self-inflating, lighter-weight and (typically)inter-locking surface water and soil erosion diversion and/or barriersystem. Such bags, tubes or mats interlock not only in the horizontal(end-to-end) configuration but also in a vertical (stacked to create ahigher barrier for the water, mud or silt to broach) configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is composed of a single or multi-layer bag or tube made ofone or more permeable or semi-permeable photo and biodegradablegeo-textile materials (such as woven jute/burlap, bamboo, coconut huskfibers (coir), and/or as manmade biodegradable and photodegradablepolypropylene, or other dissolvable or non-dissolvable man-made ornatural fabric, paper or other membrane measuring up to 1,400 mm incircumference and up to a hundred (100) meters in length. Sewn, glued,thermally sealed, or stapled selected layers, internally integrated orexternally affixed to or into the tube/bag at regular or irregularintervals are pockets or pouches (modules) of various sizes and shapescontaining one or more of the following: A) naturally occurring denseparticulate matter such as sand, gravel or rock weighing up to 5,000grams per module (pocket) and typically contained in a bio-degradablehard-shell box or similar container with a flat top and flat bottom toenhance the ‘interlocking’ capabilities described herein and hereinafterreferred to as Ballast modules. The concentration of weight in each suchpocket or pouch acts as ‘ballast’ to hold the tube/bag in place (fromwind and/or water or topographic challenges such as steep hillsides)while B) the main and typically largest modules (expansion modules)containing measured quantities and proprietary blends of lightweight,super absorbent, (typically cross-linked) polymer powder or othernatural or man-made hygroscopic (water molecule absorbing or storing)particles which absorb the ground surface water, rain or hosed-on waterinto or through some or all layers of the multi-layer bag, tube or mat.Nano tubes or similar micro molecular structures may be substituted orcombined with the polymer to function or enhance the water absorptionand encapsulation process. C) the third category of modules called seedmodules are also pouches or pockets created by stitching or sealingselect layers of the bag, tube or mat. The optional seed modules are foruse in soil erosion mitigation applications where the system comes indirect contact with earth, not rock, concrete asphalt or other surfacesunable to sustain or encourage root and plant growth. These seed modulescan be additional internal pockets or external pockets or pouches sewnor sealed or otherwise incorporated into or onto the bags, tubes or matsat fixed or variable distances. The pockets or pouches (referred tocollectively as pouches) themselves are typically composed of a singleouter or external layer of bio-degradable, open-weave fabric or othermembrane material through which plant roots and supporting naturalgrowth structure can penetrate.

These pockets or pouches can be stitched or sealed on two (2), three(3), or all four (4) sides so that pre-formed solid or semi-solidbricks, tube-like sticks or ‘wafers’ as further described below can beplaced or inserted. Such solid or semi-solid bio-mass ‘brick’, ‘stick’or ‘wafer’ can be composed of a proprietary mix of fast or slow growingflower or ground cover seeds, super-absorbent polymers for waterabsorption and retention, fertilizers and/or plant food blended togetherwith high cotton content recycled paper pulp, mulch, straw or othernatural materials which well serve as a germination and incubationmedium cross section illustration of ‘brick’). Following theintroduction to the composite bio-mass brick or other form factor ofsufficient water, the embedded seeds (which may be coated to slowgermination) germinate and exit the pouch or pocket through the open orloose weave exterior fabric or membrane or as the bag or tube naturallyor physically degrades and deteriorates due to ultraviolet light andexposure to the elements in their natural course or by design (such ascaused by a chemical treatment or additive involving the entire bag ortube or selected portions).

The above described Modules can be made from single or multilayergeo-materials. In the case of a multilayer bag, tube or mat, theouter-layer is typically a loosely woven or more open weave geo-fabricmade of bio-degradable materials while the inner layer or lining istypically a much tighter or finer weave of non-woven (typically manmade)fabric required to keep the small particles of filler material (such assand or polymers) contained within the inner liner during shipping andhandling and prior to the introduction of water or other liquids whichthen cause the expansion module particles to grow or expand in physicalsize within their own containment bag or envelope.

Such inner module containment layer or membrane (referred tocollectively as a membrane) may, in some embodiments, be treated withstarch or other non-toxic, water soluble solutions in order to furtherseal the inner bag to contain the very small particles of fillermaterial. Such fabric sealers must dissolve quickly in the presence ofwater to allow water to quickly permeate the described inner bag orliner and reach the polymers or other materials designed to swell andexpand when in contact with water. All layers or membranes of the bag ortube are liquid (water) permeable.

In one embodiment, the stitched or sealed ballast pouch or pocket isleft empty but still isolated (typically with through and throughstitching, heat or adhesive sealing, etc) from the rest of the bag ortube with such pocket or pouch serving as an area externally marked ordesignated through which fastening pins or stakes can be driven orinserted through such designated layer or layers directly into theground or other selected surface to secure the bag or tube into placewhile the bag/tube itself expands and increases in weight due to thewater or liquid absorptive action and water retention nature of thesuper absorbent polymers or other naturally occurring filler materialsthat effectively absorb (or attach to and hold) water molecules. Theempty pocket creates a recess in the inflated bag to cooperate withfilled pockets on an adjacent (stacked) bag to interlock the bags andthereby stabilize stacks of bags.

Immediately upon penetration of water molecules through the one or morelayers of water permeable fabric(s) or dissolvable paper etc, the superabsorbent polymers or nano tubes or other hygroscopic materials begin toattach to and/or encapsulate the water molecules and swell in size,filling the interior space or void of the bag, tube or mat with agel-like material primarily composed of the external water absorbedthrough the layers or membranes of the bag or tube itself plus thepreviously referenced and described ‘ballast’ pockets and/or pouches. Asthe super absorbent polymers or other highly absorptive natural orman-made materials reach their maximum capacity, the weight and volumeof the bag/tube or vessel increases by the exact liquid weight absorbed.Therefore the ‘plumpness’ (expanded volume) of the bag/tube and itsfully saturated weight is directly dependant on the selectedweight/volume and absorptive capabilities of the absorbent materialitself.

Because of the density variable between sand, rock and water, aspecified cubic volume of sand, rock or other inert ballast will weighmore than the corresponding cubic volume of water saturated polymers orsimilar absorptive material but will have sufficient weight and mass toperform the same water diversion and blocking functions of traditionalsandbags weighing considerably more.

Typically within 5-6 minutes of contact with water, the super absorbentpolymers or alternative absorptive materials herein described, swell upto hundreds of times their weight and volume and entirely occupy andfill all or most of the available and formerly vacant space (voids) inthe expansion module of the tube/bag (i.e. spaces not otherwise occupiedby the previously described ballast modules, pockets or compartmentssealed or separated from the main bag or tube space. The polymers andother absorptive materials are typically capable of holding between 200and 1,000 times their own weight in liquid weight and mass.

The previously described ballast module pockets, pouches or compartmentscan be in any shape though the preferred embodiment is a rectangular orcircular shape of approximately 150 mm×150 mm (approximately 9,000square mm), scaled up or down as required, and placed along the edgesadjacent to the main side seam that stitches the tube/bag together in analternating pattern so that the ends of two individual sandbags areequally divided between ballast filled and absorptive material filledspaces therefore at each end of a bag, regardless of its length, thewater infused filler material(s) (turned gel in the case of thepolymers) nests on top of the adjacent bag/tubes lower and morecompressed ballast section. This nesting effectively ‘locks’ thebag/tubes together in a single line AND provides additional nestingpockets along the entire length if additional bag/tubes are beingstacked to form a taller, multi-layer wall or barrier.

An alternative embodiment used with bags or tubes ranging in length upto 100 meters provides ballast module pockets, pouches or compartments(as previously described) stretching across the entire width of the tubeor bag, rather than occupying only 50% of the width and placed atconsistent intervals.

In yet a different embodiment of the invention, the previously describedtube or bag is fabricated or assembled to become a ‘mat’ whose width andlength would be a function of the end-use application as well aslimitations potentially imposed by the size of the raw materials thatcompose the one or more layers or membranes as previously described forthe bag or tube embodiment. The typical mat embodiment would measure1,200 mm-1,400 mm or more in width and up to one hundred meters inlength. The pre-deployed mat would be constructed and distributed in‘sheets’ or in rolls.

In the mat embodiment (whose applications would include soil erosionprevention on hillsides and riverbanks), the inclusion of ballastpockets or pouches would be distributed across the entire surface areaof the mat in a pattern.

An alternative embodiment of the mat would also include empty ballastmodules (pouches or pockets) in order to provide ‘safe’ or designatedlocations on the mat surface where stakes or pins or other similarfasteners or anchor points can be driven through the mate membrane(s) orfabric layers directly or indirectly into the underlying soil or othernatural surfaces subject to water or wind erosion.

In another embodiment the single or multilayer bag or tube does not haveany dedicated ballast module or ballast pockets or pouches. Rather thetube or bag itself is divided or compartmentalized through stitching orother sealing methods to create dividers across the entire width of thebag or tube intervals (ranging from 300 mm to 1,400 mm) apart. In thisparticular embodiment, the water absorbing filler material as hereinelsewhere described is combined or mixed with various amounts of densenatural or man-made inert ballast such as gravel, rock concrete, bricks,etc. allowing for use in a variety of weight-critical applications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. #1—top view (looking down onto the main, modular bag, tube,envelope or mat) depicting the various modules described elsewhereherein. The over-all length can vary with application but in thepreferred embodiment, ‘x’ is up to 3 meters (3,000 mm) and the overallwidth (‘y’) is up to 350 mm. This embodiment depicts all the SeedModules as internal ‘pockets’ within the bag, tube, envelope or mat.

FIG. #1A—top view (looking down onto the main, modular bag, tube,envelope or mat as otherwise described in FIG. #1).

FIG. #1B—side view depicting un-inflated view of internal seed module‘pocket’ embodiment.

FIG. #1C—side view depicting internal ‘pocket’ embodiment with InflationModules inflated (dotted line #120 representing approximate hydratedposition of Inflation Module).

FIG. 2—intentionally omitted.

FIG. #3A—top view (looking down onto the main, modular bag, tube,envelope or mat) of ‘pouch’ embodiment featuring external center seedmodule (140 a and 140 b).

FIG. #3B—side view depicting un-inflated embodiment of the center seedmodule constructed as an external pouch rather than an internal pocket.

FIG. #3C—side view depicting inflated embodiment of the center seedmodule constructed as an external pouch rather than an internal pocket.

FIG. #4—end view of two (2) bags, tubes, envelopes or mats depictinglocking or nesting mechanism of one to the other. The inflated portionof one bag, tube, envelope or mat nests with the flatter ballast moduleof the other bag, tube, envelope or mat and vice versa.

FIG. #5—top and ‘open’ corner view of bag, tube, envelope or matdepicting the typical ‘multi-layer’ construction of the Inflation Moduleitself.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

#110—represents heavy industrial-style stitching, heat-sealing,spot-welding, adhesive bonding or other means of joining two or morelayers of the geo-textiles (natural or man-made) that comprise the outerand (when applicable) the inner layers of the bag, tube, envelope or matas well as the method for separating the various ‘modules’ describedelsewhere herein.

#120—is the outermost layer of the bag, tube or mat's geo-textileconstruction. This layer (natural materials such as jute, burlap, coiror bamboo or photo degradable man-made materials such as poly propylene)will, in all embodiments, be a loose or more open weave that create tinyopenings between each cross-woven strand that will allow light and waterto enter and plant materials and roots to exit or grow through towardssunlight or sources of nourishment.

#130—is the overall expansion module' containing blends of cross-linkedpotassium co-polymer of acryl amide, with acrylic acid super absorbentpolymers, compressed and dried natural organic materials, nano tubesand/or other nano structures all of which absorb and hold significantmultiples of their own weight and mass in water molecules. The Expansionmodule typically requires use of an inner bag, pouch or envelope made ofa tightly woven or low porosity non-woven natural or mad-made materials,water permeable, bio-degradable geo-fabric or membrane capable ofcontaining the very fine powder-like granules of the polymers. Thefabric or membrane of this module can also be treated with starch orother water soluble but non-toxic solutions or materials to further sealthe tiny polymers into this inner bag or envelope during transit andhandling. The heavy stitching or other sealing material depicted in #110would typically penetrate this inner ‘Expansion Module’ bag or envelopeto secure it from bunching or wadding up inside the main bag, tube,envelope or mat.

#130 a is the side view of the expansion module, with the post-hydrationconfiguration illustrated by the dotted line.

#140 a—is the single layer pocket, pouch or envelope created in thestitching or sealing process called the seed module that provides aplace to insert or position a bio-mass ‘brick’, ‘stick’ ‘tube’ or‘wafer’ containing high-cotton content re-cycled paper pulp,un-germinated plant or grass seeds, super absorbent polymers, fertilizerand/or plant food.

#140 b—is the actual seed module which can be comprised of all or someof the above referenced plant growth elements made into a solid, waterdissolvable mass (brick or wafer) or loosely contained in a waterdissolvable membrane bag, envelope or pouch that is placed or insertedinto a designated ‘Seed Module’ pouch or pocket. This designated modulearea may, in some embodiments, be empty and the space used to drive astake through the bag into the surface on which the bag, tube, envelopeor mat is placed. The stake would provide additional holding stabilityfor the entire bag, tube, envelope or mat when placed on steep hillsidesor where water currents are such that the Ballast modules would beinadequate to hold the bag, tube, envelope or mat in place during itshydration process.

#150—depicts a section of the outer bag, tube, envelope or mat that isNOT stitched as described in #110 above.

#160 a—describes the ballast module which is a designated portion of theoverall main bag, tube or envelope (which in turn contains a hard-shellbox-like container with a flat top and bottom and can be of differentsizes and shapes that contains dense, naturally occurring bio materialssuch as sand, gravel, rocks or a combination thereof with a high ratioof weight to size. This portion or module of the overall main bag, tubeor mat will, by virtue of the limited amount of heavy material placed init, not only have a tendency to remain stationary when placed on theground (or on top of another outer bag), but the bio-degradable hardwalled container also will be flatter than the adjacent expansion modulespace which then allows the next outer bag to ‘nest’ or ‘lock’ into theoriginal or first bag placed.

#160 b—depicts the inner ballast module containment bag, envelope orpouch itself. Always made from bio or photo-degradable natural orman-made materials, it will be approximately 150mm×150 mm (9,000 squaremm in the preferred embodiment) and placed on and in the outer bagduring the manufacturing process.

160 c—depicts the inner expansion module containment bag, envelope orpouch which will always be made from bio or photo-degradable natural orman-made materials (typically tightly woven or low porosity un-wovenfabrics) to contain the small particles of cross linked super absorbentpolymers, nano structures or other man-made or natural, highly expansivehydroscopic materials. Though of low porosity the fabric must also behighly water permeable.

160 d—depicts the natural or man-made hydroscopic material formulated toinflate or expand the overall bag, tube, envelope or mat upon contactwith water of any kind. The preferred embodiment utilizes cross-linkedpotassium co-polymer of acryl amide, with acrylic acid. Otherembodiments utilize dried and compressed naturally occurring materialsmade from coir or similar plant products or by-products that physicallyexpand almost immediately upon hydration.

#200 a—illustrates the ‘top view’ (looking down) similar to #100 aexcept the center seed module is constructed as an internal rather thanexternal pouch or sleeve.

#200 b—shows the side view of the un-inflated (un-hydrated) main bag,tube or mat showing the individual ballast, seed, and expansion modules.

#200 c—illustrates a side view of an inflated (hydrated) main bag(depicted by dotted line showing actual hydrated module or chamberwithin the main bag, tube or mat).

#400 shows end-view of typical outer bag, tube, envelope or mat with theballast module on left side of the diagram.

#410 also depicts the end view of a typical outer bag, tube, envelope ormat with Ballast modules alternating on the right side of the diagram.Together with #400, these drawings illustrate the ‘interlocking’mechanism, design and capability of the invention.

#500 depicts a typical bag but with the corners shown unattached so thatthe layered construction of the bag is apparent. The outer layer of thebag 501 is stitched by stitching 502. The stitching extends through theouter layer 501, and the material 504 of the chamber that retains thehydroscopic material 506.

1. The Water barrier bag, comprising: a bag containing dry materialwhich swells upon hydration to substantially fill the bag, said baghaving at least one pouch containing ballast, and said bag having atleast one recess sized to receive a pouch containing ballast on astacked bag to interlock adjacent bags.
 2. The water barrier bag ofclaim 1, wherein: said bag is formed of water permeable materials. 3.The water barrier bag of claim 1, wherein: at least one pouch containsplant seed which can sprout through the material of the bag to stabilizethe soil of a slope on which said bag is positioned.
 4. The waterbarrier bag of claim 1, wherein: said bag is comprised of bio-degradablematerials.
 5. The water barrier bag of claim 1 wherein: said bag iscomprised of photo-degradable materials.
 6. The water barrier bag ofclaim 1, wherein: Said dry material is in the form of particles ofhydroscopic material.
 7. The water barrier bag of claim 6 wherein, saidbag has an outer layer of open mesh fabric, and an inner, water-solublemembrane what prevents the release of fine particles of hydrophilicmaterial through the open mesh until water dissolves the membrane.